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2 Responses to Human rights

I can categorically state my commitment to human rights, and the Human Rights Act.
I can also state that I do stand up to stop torture across the world.

These assertions may be true, but your actions as described in the beginning of the post seem to be all in the past – electoral campaigning and being a councillor presumably being more urgent.

The late Robin Cook made similar statements and in office tried to live up to them with actions.

So if elected (to Westminster) will you live up to your words and support boycotts / sanctions / breaking off diplomatic relations / war against countries that do not support human rights, such as:

– The usual suspects (China – who supply so many of our consumer goods, Gulf countries that supply so much of our power, etc.)
– The USA (Guantanamo , Rendition, Policing issues, death penalty etc.)
– Israel (Ghettoisation of Palestinians, illegal settlements, etc.)
– The UK (a few policing issues, murky possible collusion in rendition, intention to break from the Human Rights Act and associated European institutions, surveillance, etc.)
– Most other countries (I don’t think I can name many countries with a “clean record” on human rights).

And if you won’t, what do you mean by these comments that will distinguish you from so many other parliamentary candidates (accepting that Tories and UKIP don’t like HRA).

Sorry, these sort of statements just increase my unhealthy cynicism about politics and political candidates.

It is true that I have to juggle quite a number of tasks, and an impending election is a priority. But I am still a councillor, fulfilling my councillor duties, and I am an activist on human rights who still writes to the occasional embassy, or the Foreign Office.

If I am elected I will use my position to apply pressure as appropriate.